School mum, farmer's wife , citizen of the year farewelled

Born in Mackay on August 15, 1923, to Les and Elsie McLaren, Beryl was one of five children.

As a very young child she lived in Milton St and her early education was at Mackay Girls' School, where the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre now is.

When the family moved to Benholme, she went to school in nearby Mirani.

With no intention to travel to Mackay to do further education, she was not permitted to sit for the scholarship examination which was the access to secondary education in those days.

As a pupil, she developed fine penmanship and also became excellent at calligraphy and drawing, skills that she used in later life.

Her first employment was as a home help for Dr Chenoweth in Sydney St and was also employedat the Civic Theatre in Gordon St.

As young adult, she enjoyed a busy social life with friends that included outings to regular dancing sessions, at least three nights a week, with buses transporting them to outlying areas, and trips to local beaches

During this time, she also worked with the Red Cross Blood Bank VAD(volunteer aid deployment), a commitment to volunteer work that was to continue for the rest of her life.

In 1945 Beryl met Rob Symons, a young soldier on leave who was so smitten with her that he delayed his return to army service to see more of her, resulting in a happy marriage that was to last nearly 60 years.

As a farmer's wife Beryl was always busy, initially on a farm miles from the nearest town, Sarina, where she raised three daughters, home schooling the two eldest, cooking for the farm hands, as well as the usual back up farm work. Later they moved to Rob's family farm at Eimeo and had another daughter.

For a long while she lived her life dedicated to her children, their school and their interests. She was a school mum with an active involvement in the school committee, with secretarial and fund raising roles.

Through her girls, she was also involved with Brownies, then Girl Guides, was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, and a tester for many badges including writing and first aid, and a fund raiser.

As the girls grew older she became involved in the local junior farmers, later called Rural Youth, being an advisor, assisting with the dances in the hall, catering, and fund raising, and was there to help with the competitions.

Beryl was a natural musician - she did not learn to read music, but she had an excellent ear, and could sing very well. She used her talents mainly for hymns at church. She could often be heard whistling while she worked at home and she was excellent on the mouth organ.

After she had guided her girls to their chosen careers, she had time to extend her own interests in the arts and crafts fields. She was a successful artist, with oils and water colours, and pencil and charcoal drawings, and had many winning entries in the Mackay Show and successful exhibitions in the Mackay Arts Society, of which she was, at times, president and treasurer.

Accomplished in many crafts, her fingers were never still. She did metal etching, beadwork, jewellery making and handbags, crochet, macramé, tatting, cross-stitch, lace making, drawn thread work, Hardanger, and knitting.

In 1965 Beryl joined the North Mackay Branch of the QCWA and it became a very fulfilling chapter of her life. Her enthusiasm meant that she won many cooking, handicraft, debating and writing competitions, became the editor of the journal, and state international officer. In this latter role, she facilitated excursions to countries of interest for CWA members, and competitions within schools.

For her international work in QCWA she was awarded the United Nations Association of Australia (Qld Division) Award in 1998

She became a life member of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW ) attending several world conferences.

Part of her community involvement with the CWA saw her helping with arts and crafts at nursing homes in the district.

She was a deeply religious person and attended services all her life. and was also a member of Fellowship. This was another avenue of volunteer opportunity, with fundraising fetes, and teaching Sunday School for more than 40 years.

Beryl was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter, reaching position as Worthy Matron, and attended meetings until she found it difficult to walk.

With husband Rob, she was a founding member of the now Northern Beaches Bowls Club, which was initially a tin shed on a piece of land owned by Rob and his family and donated to the club. They were both accorded life membership in recognition of their service to the club.

Her extensive work in the community was recognised when she won an Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award in 1990, and the Quota Woman of the Year Award in 1991.

Those who knew her and loved her will miss her so much as she was a well loved and respected person, dedicating her life to family, friends and community.